A three-year-old boy found drenched and wandering alone on a rainy night in Shivaji Nagar, Govandi West, was safely reunited with his family just hours after his alleged abduction, thanks to the swift action of the Mumbai police and the timely intervention of a concerned local resident.
Around 11 pm on Tuesday, a woman in the Shivaji Nagar area spotted the child alone on Road No. 4. Soaked from the rain and clearly lost, the boy was unable to communicate where he was from. The woman, moved by his condition, took him home, dried him off, and cared for him through the night.
On Wednesday morning, while watching television, she saw a news report about a missing child and noticed the Crime Branch’s contact number flashing on screen. She called the number and informed them about the boy, stating he was safe with her. Within minutes, officers from the Crime Branch Unit 6 arrived at her residence, confirmed the boy’s identity, and took him into their care. He was then handed over to the Shivaji Nagar police station and reunited with his anxious family.
According to the police, the boy went missing on Tuesday afternoon between 12 pm and 2 pm. His father, Shabbo Afsar Hashmi, 26, a resident of Govandi, approached the Shivaji Nagar police around 10.26 pm on Tuesday and registered a complaint stating that his child had been abducted in his sleep. Following this, a case was registered for the charges of kidnapping against an unidentified accused.
Recognising the seriousness of the case, the police launched an intensive operation led by Inspector Bharat Ghone. The investigating team scanned CCTV footage from over 30 locations near the site of the alleged abduction and circulated the child’s picture in slum areas. API Sandeep Rahane used social media groups to spread the missing child’s details. Their coordinated efforts, combined with the civic-mindedness of the woman who found the boy, led to the case being solved within just 12 hours.
Inspector Ghone lauded his team and the public, saying, “In abduction cases, every second is critical. Our officers acted with urgency and dedication, and the woman who cared for the child did something truly commendable. This rescue was only possible because of her quick action and humanity.” The police are continuing investigations to trace and apprehend the accused, he said.
